After All That We've Been Through EDIT
by Erulasse Shadeslayer
Summary: Sonny is drunk. Chad isn't. Chad is single. Sonny isn't. Chad loves Sonny. Sonny... well read and find out.


**So I saw Fallin for the Falls, and I loved the vulnerable Chad with Sonny shutting him down, it was a really cute side of him and it inspired me to capture it in a story. Here it is ^_^**

Sonny Monroe woke up Saturday with the biggest hangover of her life. It was kind of ironic, she thought, how typical it was. She had a huge headache, was naked, and had no idea where she was. Oh yeah, and there was a naked, sleeping stranger next to her. Awesome. As she rose slowly from her laying position, her head hurt worse. Just as she made it to a sitting position, an arm fell across her lap.

"Good morning, Sonshine." the stranger said in a tired voice.

"don't touch me, perv." Sonny mumbled trying to get a good look at who this person was.

"Sonny, what are you talking about, its me."

it took a second more for Sonny to process who me was. She was surprised she didn't recognize his voice. Many a time had she woken up to the voice of Chad Dylan Cooper. But that was a long time ago. And it was never under these circumstances.

"Fuck no!" she jumped out of the bed and started gathering her things. Suddenly, her head ache was the least of her problems.

"Calm down, let me make you breakfast. You don't have work today." Chad tried, but Sonny didn't seem to hear him.

She scurried across his bedroom she had already found, and replaced her underwear, and was now working on the very tiny pair of black shorts she had been wearing last night.

"Oh my god, oh my god. I cant even imagine what the press has to say about me leaving a club with Chad Dylan Cooper! How could I let this happen?"

Chad stood up and caught her around her waist.

"Calm down Sonshine, we'll deal with this later. For now lets just go back to bed."

"Stop calling me that! And I'm not going anywhere with, especially not bed!" she shook him off violently.

"I don't understand. You didn't feel this way last night." Chad said softly.

"Yeah well I was drunk." she huffed.

"You told me you just a little tipsy!" he cried and fell back on his bed.

"Chad, don't tell me you didn't notice how many shots of tequila I downed last night."

"I thought you could handle your alcohol." he looked like she had kicked him. His eyes were all crinkled and the corners of his mouth were turned down. She knew she should leave, but for some reason she felt the need to comfort him first.

She sat down next to him on the bed.

"Chad, last night... we were both drunk out of our minds. Now we just need to forget about this okay?"

"I wasn't." he muttered stubbornly.

"You weren't what, Chad?"

"Drunk. I wasn't drunk. Not even a little. I haven't had a drop of alcohol since the MTV movie awards." he sighed and sat up to look her in the eyes.

"Oh so you actually... and I just... I'm so sorry Chad. Last night, I barely remember it. It meant nothing to me. And I'm kinda seeing someone. A really nice guy, who might be ready to commit. We had our chance, okay? We're done now. It needs to stay that way. What about that blonde girl you were seeing? Stella?"

"Sonny, I'll never be in love with Stella." he shook his head and chuckle masochistically.

"Why not? You never know." she smiled a big ear to ear smile. How could she be so eager for him to move on after what they had?

"because, how could I when I'm still in love with someone else?"

"Oh no." she shut her eyes.

"I never got over, Son. I'm not so sure I ever will." he gazed at her with sad eyes. "You should leave."

"You're right. Goodbye, Chad."

and just like that, she walked out of his life, and into someone else's.

Two years later, nothing had changed.

Sonny and Chad still kept in touch, but just barely. Chad was still single, going through girls like paper. Sonny was still with the guy she had been seeing two years ago, except now they were engaged.

Chad woke up every morning fearing that it would be the day he saw the wedding announcement in the news paper. Even so, he checked them. But today, he got something even worse- an invitation to the ceremony. Seriously, did she want to crush him? Was she doing everything in her power to break his heart into pieces just like she had four years ago?

Unfortunately, he had to go. He couldn't sit back, and not even try to stop the love of his life from marrying another man.

So a month later, he got all dolled up, called a taxi, and arrived at the church just a few minutes before it was supposed to start. He couldn't do it. He couldn't walk in there and watch her marry him. He had to talk to her.

He ran in throwing "excuse me"s and "im so sorry"s around as he raced to find her dressing room.

Finally, he found it. She was in there all alone, almost in tears. He couldn't tell if it was because she was happy, or sad, or just nervous.

"Sonny?" she jumped and started trying to wipe all the tears away as fast as she could.

"Chad! I'm so glad you made it! What are you doing in here?" she fired.

"Why were you crying Sonshine?" he wondered, walking closer to the chair she was seated in.

"Honestly? I have no idea. I guess I was just, overwhelmed with emotions." she answered and laughed sarcastically.

"You sound like You're trying to convince yourself rather than me."

"Maybe I am. Why are here, Chad?"

"Because, sonny, I couldn't let you marry him with out at least trying to get you t change your mind!"

"Chad-" he cut her off.

"No sonny I love you! Please just tell me you don't love me and I will stay out of your life forever. But if you do, I cant do that."

"But I do love you. Always did. Feelings like that don't just disappear." she started to cry and pace the room. He wanted to comfort her but found himself becoming too angry to do that.

"Then why are you marrying him?" he threw his hands up into the air. He never understood her reasoning for anything, but this was ridiculous.

"because he'll never hurt me, we never fight, he brings me flowers for gods sake!" she was on her knees now. It was all he could do not to fall to the ground and beg her to take him back.

"Sounds boring." he chuckled.

"you could call it that. But its enough." she shook her head yes, trying to convince herself that he was enough, and Chad would never be.

"well the Sonny Monroe I'm in love with would never, ever settle."

"Thats just it. I'm not her. You're in love with the wrong girl, Chad. Its time for you to leave." she stood up and turned back to the vanity to fix her make up.

"yeah. Yeah I guess it is." for the first time in four years, Chad felt free. Single. Content. There wasn't a big hole in his chest where sonny should be. Maybe all he needed was a little closure, now that he had, he would never have to shed another tear over her again.

"Well, for what its worth, you look beautiful today. Your husbands lucky."

"Thanks. Goodbye."

"See you later Sonshine. See you later."


End file.
